Starter chart of accounts
=========================

Chart of accounts: [ORGANIZATION NAME]

Adopted: [DATE]

Approved by: [NAME], Treasurer

Accounting basis: [CASH / ACCRUAL]

Function classes: Program services ([PROGRAM NAMES]), Management and general, Fundraising

Assets (1000s)

| Number | Account | Form 990 line |
|---|---|---|
| 1010 | Checking account | Part X, line 1 (cash, non-interest-bearing) |
| 1020 | Savings or money market account | Part X, line 2 |
| 1050 | Petty cash | Part X, line 1 |
| 1100 | Pledges and grants receivable | Part X, line 3 |
| 1200 | Accounts receivable (fees, sales owed to us) | Part X, line 4 |
| 1300 | Inventory for sale or use | Part X, line 8 |
| 1400 | Prepaid expenses (insurance, deposits) | Part X, line 9 |
| 1500 | Investments, publicly traded | Part X, line 11 |
| 1600 | Land, buildings and equipment | Part X, line 10a |
| 1690 | Accumulated depreciation | Part X, line 10b |

Liabilities (2000s)

| Number | Account | Form 990 line |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Accounts payable | Part X, line 17 |
| 2020 | Accrued expenses (wages owed, payroll taxes owed) | Part X, line 17 |
| 2100 | Grants payable (grants we've promised to others) | Part X, line 18 |
| 2200 | Deferred revenue (fees paid in advance) | Part X, line 19 |
| 2300 | Loans from unrelated lenders | Part X, line 23 or 24 |
| 2400 | Loans from officers, directors or their family | Part X, line 22 (also Schedule L) |
| 2500 | Other liabilities | Part X, line 25 |

Net assets (3000s)

| Number | Account | Form 990 line |
|---|---|---|
| 3100 | Net assets without donor restrictions | Part X, line 27 |
| 3200 | Net assets with donor restrictions | Part X, line 28 |

Revenue (4000s)

| Number | Account | Form 990 line |
|---|---|---|
| 4100 | Individual gifts | Part VIII, line 1f |
| 4150 | Membership dues (gift portion) | Part VIII, line 1b |
| 4200 | Foundation and corporate grants | Part VIII, line 1f |
| 4250 | Government grants (contributions) | Part VIII, line 1e |
| 4300 | Gifts through federated campaigns | Part VIII, line 1a |
| 4350 | Gifts from related organizations | Part VIII, line 1d |
| 4400 | Event income: gift portion | Part VIII, line 1c |
| 4410 | Event income: value received by attendees | Part VIII, line 8a |
| 4500 | In-kind gifts: goods | Part VIII, lines 1a to 1f (and 1g) |
| 4510 | In-kind gifts: services and use of space (books only) | Not reported as 990 revenue |
| 4600 | Program service fees and government contracts | Part VIII, line 2 |
| 4700 | Interest and dividends | Part VIII, line 3 |
| 4750 | Rental income | Part VIII, line 6a |
| 4800 | Sales of inventory | Part VIII, line 10a |
| 4850 | Gain or loss on sale of investments or assets | Part VIII, lines 7a to 7d (gross sales, cost, gain or loss) |
| 4900 | Other revenue | Part VIII, line 11 |

Direct costs netted against revenue (4000s)

| Number | Account | Form 990 line |
|---|---|---|
| 4415 | Event direct expenses | Part VIII, line 8b |
| 4755 | Rental expenses | Part VIII, line 6b |
| 4805 | Cost of goods sold | Part VIII, line 10b |

Expenses (5000s to 8000s)

| Number | Account | Form 990 line |
|---|---|---|
| 5010 | Grants to organizations | Part IX, line 1 |
| 5020 | Grants and assistance to individuals | Part IX, line 2 |
| 6010 | Salaries: officers, directors and key employees | Part IX, line 5 |
| 6020 | Salaries: other staff | Part IX, line 7 |
| 6100 | Retirement plan contributions | Part IX, line 8 |
| 6150 | Health insurance and other benefits | Part IX, line 9 |
| 6200 | Payroll taxes | Part IX, line 10 |
| 7010 | Legal fees | Part IX, line 11b |
| 7020 | Accounting and audit fees | Part IX, line 11c |
| 7030 | Professional fundraising fees | Part IX, line 11e |
| 7040 | Investment management fees | Part IX, line 11f |
| 7050 | Other contractors and professional fees | Part IX, line 11g |
| 7100 | Advertising and promotion | Part IX, line 12 |
| 7200 | Office supplies, postage and printing | Part IX, line 13 |
| 7250 | Software, websites and IT services | Part IX, line 14 |
| 7300 | Rent and utilities | Part IX, line 16 |
| 7400 | Travel | Part IX, line 17 |
| 7450 | Conferences, meetings and trainings | Part IX, line 19 |
| 7500 | Interest paid | Part IX, line 20 |
| 7600 | Depreciation | Part IX, line 22 |
| 7700 | Insurance (not property insurance or employee benefits) | Part IX, line 23 |
| 8010 | Program supplies: [PROGRAM] | Part IX, line 13 (the instructions put office, classroom and other supplies here) |
| 8020 | Bank and card processing fees | Part IX, line 13 (the instructions list bank fees here) |
| 8030 | Licenses, registrations and filing fees | Part IX, line 24 (itemize) |
| 8900 | Other expenses | Part IX, line 24e |

Notes

- Line 24: the Form 990 instructions ask for the four largest expense types not covered by lines 1 to 23 on lines 24a to 24d, and the rest as "all other expenses" on line 24e. Don't use a general label such as "program expenses" on lines 24a to 24d. If line 24e is more than 10% of total expenses, the form asks you to list those expenses on Schedule O.
- Insurance: the instructions put property insurance under occupancy (line 16) and employee health and other benefit insurance under lines 5 to 9, not line 23.
- Line 11g: the same 10% rule applies to "other" fees for services.
- Changes: record any new or retired account here with the date and who approved it.

| Date | Change | Approved by |
|---|---|---|
| [DATE] | [ACCOUNT ADDED, RENAMED OR RETIRED] | [NAME] |